Canada Plans to Legalize Marijuana, Nationwide, in 2017

The Canadian government has made plans to begin the process to legalize marijuana throughout the nation in the Spring of 2017. In order to do this, a national task force named the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation has decided on 80 recommendations to aid in this process.

This recreational legalization would cause Canada to become the first G7 country to legalize cannabis since the beginning of the 20th-century prohibition.

The task force published their report on December 13, 2016.In the creation of the report, they sought advice from various levels of government, along with legal and medical experts. Law enforcement authorities also chimed in, including many from locations outside of Canada. (Colorado, Washington, and Uruguay) Over 30,000 responses have been received by the task force from individuals and businesses.

Unfortunately, don’t expect Canada to become the new Amsterdam for Americans hoping to obtain a legal buzz across the border. “I don’t see the government legalizing the export of cannabis,” said Eugene Oscapella, a lawyer and expert on Canadian social policies. “Right now, it’s a criminal offense punishable by life imprisonment. They don’t need to change that part of the law in order to set up a legal regulatory regime in Canada.”

What can be said for the legislation is that it could set a new precedent in the Western world for cannabis legislation. As we have seen in the past five years, many governments are beginning to see marijuana in a new light. With the substance being backed by scientific research showing that the herb is completely harmless, it’s obvious what has fueled the change. Could we see this same legislation finding its way to the U.S? Well, we can dream.